Met Dept: Ipoh 'blast' not from earthquake, source still being investigated

IPOH: The Malaysian Meteorological Department has debunked claims that an earthquake was the source of a loud noise and subsequent tremors heard and felt here on Thursday (Oct 4).

Its director-general Alui Bahari said there have been no alerts from its earthquake warning system.

"We have received information about the tremors, but there have been no quakes detected in Perak," he said when contacted by Bernama.

It was reported that a loud bang of mysterious origin was heard in most parts of the city at about 11.20am on Thursday (Oct 4).

The noise could be heard in Tambun, Ipoh Garden, Old Town and Station 18.

Residents of Tambun and Ipoh Garden also said they felt some tremors.

Many were speculating its source, with claims as wild as a bomb test by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), an accident at a construction site or aftershocks caused by the volcano eruption in Indonesia.

According to a Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesman, there was a rock-blasting exercise at a quarry in Simpang Pulai around that time.

Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Ali Tamby said there had been no reports received about the noise at any of its 25 sub-police stations in the city.

Meanwhile, RMAF Academy Commandant Kol Abdul Nazar Abdul Hamid also denied that the noise and tremor was caused by any training activities.

"I have checked with my officers and there were no exercises using explosive ordnance," he said.